A Hunter's Resolve
by Shadow Amongst Shadows
Summary: He doesn't have a Semblance or an Aura and he doesn't care. People treat Grimm like they're invincible if you don't have an Aura. He's here to do his job and prove them wrong at the same time before moving on to the next job. A one-shot story featuring a reclusive Aura-less hunter. Rated T for mild blood and cursing.


Author's Note:

Hey, this is a one-shot story that I wrote for a challenge. It's not related to any of my other stories and I wrote it as a little side project. It may not be as good as some of the other stories but I just wanted to upload it. Enjoy!

Fair warning, some spoilers for RWBY up to season 3.

 **A Hunter's Resolve**

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The snap of a damp twig being crushed under his foot brought a frown to the man's face. Stealth was a necessity here and any noise could spell his death. He slowly knelt down before grasping the two broken pieces of the twig in his gloved hand and tossing it aside. The man would have to take this route back later and he'd hate to step on it again.

After tossing the twig aside, he noticed his reflection in a murky puddle. It was hard to make out but he could barely see his black hood in the reflection. If it hadn't been night out, he might've been able to make out the black featureless mask hidden under the hood.

One hand idly brushed against the smooth mask that covered his face as he stood up. It always comforted him that no one would be able to pick his face out of a crowd. He adjusted the hefty backpack on him to make sure that the rifle strapped to it wouldn't snag on anything.

The black clad individual glanced upwards and barely spotted the moon through the thick tree line. He still had several hours before it would be close to dawn so he had time to spare. Still, it was better not to dawdle in Grimm territory.

The man carefully stepped over the puddle before tightening the straps along his torso and legs. The pistol at his side was a last resort and he imagined if he lost his rifle it was over. Having reaffirmed that all his gear was in order he quietly pressed on.

He idly noted the rain still gently pouring down through the tree top and thanked whatever gods above for creating noise to mask his movements. The Grimm would be hard pressed to hear him moving with the rain acting as a sound barrier. So long as he kept his emotions in check and didn't bump head first into one the Grimm he was confident he could sneak by any Grimm he encountered.

His thoughts drifted to the town nearby that had hired him. He was no Huntsman but he was the next best thing for the people here. He didn't bother remembering the town's name as he'd simply move on once the job was done.

That's what he had been doing for years now. Traveling from place to place and helping those in need for Lien and shelter. The mask made sure that no one would be able to make out who he was or where he had come from. Hell, he didn't even give his name to his employers.

Most people didn't know he even existed and he preferred it that way. Making a name for yourself and gaining publicity was a good way to draw trouble. Despite his efforts some still decided to name him however. Some people just couldn't get past having nothing to call him by.

He supposed Gascoigne was as good a name as any and it had spread around to some of the smaller villages in south-east Vale where he had operated out of. Gascoigne: the wandering traveler that can get rid of Grimm for a price.

The only reason his name had spread in the first place was because of the attack on Beacon. If the Huntsman weren't hard pressed to keep everyone safe while trying to rebuild after that disaster he was sure that no towns would bother remembering his fake name.

Gascoigne held back a chuckle as he came up to a large hole in the ground. Most thought he was some kind of ex-Huntsman but they were wrong. He was just another man without Aura and without a Semblance.

He considered himself a hunter rather than a Huntsman. Gascoigne knew that Huntsman could definitely help people but they also made those same people complacent. A town that can't defend itself without help from a Huntsman was a town that was doomed to fail. That's why he had chosen to defend himself rather than rely on someone else.

Some had asked who he was but he had revealed nothing to them so far. He preferred to remain anonymous and it was less of a hassle to travel if people didn't know who he was. The only thing he had ever said in response to who he was had been, "the man behind the mask doesn't matter."

The hooded man looked down the hole and saw the twigs and leaves that had made up the cover for said it sitting at the bottom. It looked like a Grimm had fallen down the hole and onto the spikes at the bottom before evaporating like the rest.

He'd be sure to check a few of his other traps as well as he continued. The hunter was resourceful and cunning where Huntsman and Huntresses relied on their Aura and strength to get the job done. He was thankful that most Grimm weren't intelligent enough to avoid his traps.

His thoughts turned to the town nearby once more. The town's figurehead had hired him to put a stop to a group of Grimm that had been terrorizing the town. Since the town was still standing, the hunter assumed that it couldn't be anything bigger than a pack of Beowolves.

He continued forward making his way to his next trap. Gascoigne paused when he neared the trap because of the sounds coming from it. It sounded like something had been caught in the large bear trap he had set down. He had reinforced it so that only larger Grimm would be able to tear it apart.

The hunter slowly crept up behind a tree before peaking around it. A Beowolf had been caught in the trap and had been unable to open it. Gascoigne watched on as the creature continued chewing at its own leg to escape.

The hooded man knelt down making himself harder to spot as he waited for the creature to escape. It took a few minutes before the creature's leg split. The part that had been chewed off slowly evaporated in the air as the Grimm began limping away.

The hunter made sure to follow the creature but at a distance for now. He knew that if he followed this hurt pup that it would lead him back to their hiding place.

He tailed the creature for over ten minutes before it finally limped to the edge of a small clearing and paused. The hunter dared to crouch down and slowly step closer to get a view of the clearing. The hunter and the injured Grimm were situated on a hill that lead down into the clearing itself.

The clearing contained a large rocky mound that had a giant hole in it. The hunter realized it was probably where these creatures dragged their prey off to. He knew that they didn't truly need to eat but for whatever reason the creatures always chose to devour humans and Faunus.

He could see several other Beowolves entering the cave as he watched. Gascoigne pulled out his scroll before taking a few pictures of the cave and of the Beowolves walking into it. The Hunter formulated a plan in his head as he turned to the injured Beowolf by him. He had a plan but he needed this creature out of the way first.

Gascoigne was unsure why it had paused for so long. Perhaps it was fear that it would appear weak amongst its brethren or that it had simply spotted something interesting. Either way it was going to die.

His hand went to the sheath on his chest as he slowly crept forward. The hunter had to kill this one quickly and quietly if he wanted any shot of living through this. The blade felt natural in his grasp as he pulled it out.

He took one last calming breath before lunging at the creature. The hunter had his blade custom made so it was lined with dust. Gascoigne didn't know the specifics behind it but he knew that dust seemed to hurt Grimm far more than most weapons.

Before the Beowolf knew what was happening it could feel a weight drop on top of it as a blade sunk into its neck. Alarm filled the creature before the blade was pulled out and plunged back in. It let out an airless cough as it reached up one arm towards its back. Its reaction time had been too slow however as it could already feel its strength fading as whatever was on top of it jabbed the blade into its neck again and again.

Its legs failed the Grimm as it fell to the ground unable to fight back. The Beowolf could still feel the blade being stabbed into it even as it began evaporating. It struggled for a few more moments before evaporating out of existence.

The hunter let out a few low breaths centering himself before glancing around. It appeared that none of its allies had noticed him killing it. He let out a small sigh before moving into a nearby bush.

Now that it was out of the way he had a straight shot to the entrance of the cave. He just needed to pick the right time to enter. It looked like the creatures that had been going in before had all disappeared into the cave. He waited for a few more moments before moving into the clearing.

The clearing itself had little cover and the hunter had been forced to run openly through the field to get to the cave. Thankfully nothing had spotted him by the time he had reached the cave's entrance.

The hunter got his breathing under control before taking his first step into the cave. He kept to the edge of the cave before reaching into his bag. He knew that this pack most likely had an alpha of some sort. If he could get rid of the alpha and kill most of the Beowolves in one move, it would make an easy paycheck for him.

He quickly searched his pack before pulling out some dust filled explosives. Gascoigne placed the first one on the side of the cave entrance. He had brought plenty of explosives and he was sure that he could bring this whole place down and bury the Grimm.

The Hunter continued further inward sticking to one wall and stopping every now and then to plant another explosive before pressing on. He was confused on why he hadn't encountered any Grimm yet.

His question was answered when he came upon a large chamber deeper in the cave. He could hardly see inside the chamber but his mask served multiple purposes. He activated the night-vision mode on his mask before just barely resisting the urge to curse.

There were at least fifty Grimm in this single room. If he made a mistake now, he wouldn't be leaving this place alive. He calmed himself quickly so that the Grimm wouldn't sense his alarm. While this amount of Grimm probably couldn't wipe out the town, it could definitely cripple it and leave it weak for whatever other Grimm may be in the area.

He made nary a peep as he crossed the cave to the other wall before planting another explosive. He had gotten past the hard part. Now he just needed to make his way back to the exit while planting explosives on the other wall of the cave and escape.

The hunter pressed forward before he heard a sound come from the exit, a light growl. He paused in his movements before pressing himself up against the wall and stilling his mind.

The Beowolf that came stalking down the tunnel towards the chamber did little to calm his nerves but he had to keep his cool. His black clothing and the darkness of the cave would keep his body hidden so long as his emotions didn't give him away to the creature.

The hunter realized that this was no ordinary Beowolf as well, this was the Alpha. It was lankier but much larger than its brethren. Where the average Beowolf stood at roughly seven to eight feet, this thing stood at close to ten.

As the creature neared him, Gascoigne held his breath and waited. It slowly walked ahead of him before pausing and looking in his direction. He wasn't sure if it had spotted him until it turned way and continued towards chamber.

Gascoigne knew that he had to work fast now. He stepped away from the wall before reaching into his pack and pulling out another explosive. He armed it before accidently dropping it. His eyes went wide as the explosive made a loud "thunk" against the ground.

"Shit," the hunter cursed aloud as he reached into his pack and armed a final explosive even as howls of Grimm grew louder from inside the cave. Gascoigne ran as fast as he could back to the entrance of the cave but a glance over his shoulder revealed that the Alpha was in hot pursuit and it was much faster than him.

He could already see the light from the cave's entrance but the Alpha was closing in fast. The Hunter tossed the explosive ahead of him and let it land at the cave's entrance as he pulled out the trigger for the explosives.

Gascoigne had no time to lose as any mistake on his part would mean the end of him. As he neared the entrance, he was forced to dive out of it as the Alpha lunged for him. The hunter narrowly escaped its claws as he landed just outside the cave's entrance on his side.

He pushed the detonator and the explosion that came from the cave's entrance caused him to skid along the ground further away from it. The only thing that had kept him alive from the explosion had been the armor that he was wearing. The already dark leather turned a further shade of black as it was burned.

The hunter knew it was worth it though because if the explosion didn't kill them the cave in from it would. He slowly pushed himself to his feet coughing. The explosion had taken Gascoigne's hearing as all he could hear was a ringing noise.

He stumbled for a few moments before balancing himself and leaning over. The hooded figure took in long breaths while centering himself.

It was a few minutes before he stood up straight again and even then he could still only barely hear anything. Now he just needed to prove that he had done the job.

The hunter pulled out his scroll before holding it up and taking a picture of the smoldering wreckage of the cave. He idly wondered if the town had heard the large explosion.

His thoughts were cut off when a large black clawed hand shot out of the rubble. It was quickly followed by a bony head. The hunter realized that the Alpha had been just close enough to the exit to dig its way out.

He couldn't simply leave it as an Alpha could simply go and find new Beowolves to form a pack with. Then the problem would simply repeat itself in the future.

He pulled out his rifle after dropping his scroll. Gascoigne wasted no time and began pumping dust rounds into the creature as it dug itself out. This was bad. He didn't have the military grade hardware that Huntsman did.

The creature may have been injured but it was far stronger than any average Beowolf. It pulled itself out of the smoking rubble before standing to its full height. It had plenty of holes in it but it looked more angry than hurt. The boney spikes that protruded out of it seemed to bristle in anger as he shot it.

The hunter continued firing as it got on all fours before charging at him. The rain seemed to part for the beast as it charged at him at inhuman speeds. Gascoigne fired dust rounds at it the entire time but it continued pushing forward. He managed to dive to the side to avoid being trampled by it only for the beast to grab his leg and toss him several yards.

His grip on the gun slackened and his rifle skidded across the ground and away from him. He grabbed the pistol at his side while raising himself to his feet. He was now thoroughly soaked having been thrown around through the mud and grass.

The hunter didn't notice it but the rain had started falling harder since he was in the cave; enough so that it had turned into a full on storm. The storm combined with the hearing loss from the explosion meant that the hunter could hardly hear a thing.

He raised his pistol, backed up, and fired at the creature as it began charging at him once more. The Grimm looked like it was barely holding together from the number of holes in it.

The leather armor once again saved his life as the clawed hand swiped at him sending him flying again. He landed on his back letting out a pained moan. The leather armor on his chest had three gashes running through it. The armor had managed to keep the claws from hitting anything vital but the three slashes were still bleeding.

The hunter clenched his fist realizing that his pistol had been knocked away as well. His hand went to his chest as the Alpha stalked towards him. It was on all fours now looming over him. He could see its blood red eyes as it stared down at his prone form.

It opened its maw before letting out an ear-piercing roar. The hood had fallen away from him but the mask remained. Whatever expression the hunter had on the Grimm couldn't see it.

It finally lunged towards him intent on biting his head off. It met only the ground however as the hunter rolled to the side, drew his knife, and plunged it into the neck of the beast.

"You're mine," he muttered back as he withdrew the blade only to sink it into the creature again. He could feel the creature growing weaker but it was stronger than its lesser brethren. The Grimm wrapped its hand around his head before bringing it up and slamming it back down against the dirt and mud.

Gascoigne let out a pained groan as his vision swam. Still he pressed on and plunged the dagger into the creature's neck again. Its grip loosened and he knew this was it. Using his free hand he pressed the creature's head up and away from him as he stabbed the knife into the side of its neck before drawing the blade across, slitting its throat.

The hand holding his head down evaporated and he got the privilege of watching the Alpha evaporate into nothing. He sat there for a few long minutes resting. His entire body ached and he wasn't looking forward to the trip back to town.

Eventually he let out a low sigh before sitting up. He reached over, grabbed his pistol and knife, and put them away. Gascoigne glanced sideways towards his gun and backpack lying a few yards away. He hadn't even realized that he had lost his backpack during the fight until now.

He slowly stood up letting out a pained hiss before making his way over to the two items. He quickly put his backpack on and holstered his rifle before making sure all his equipment was in place. Finally, he leaned down and picked up his scroll, proof that he had finished the job.

He glanced back towards where the Alpha had been one last time. He sighed and turned away heading back towards town. He knew that after he got his payment and rested, he'd head out again. There was always another town that needed his help; always another person being threatened by Grimm.

And he would always help them because he knew the truth. The man behind the mask didn't matter, it was his actions that did.


End file.
